


A Visit from Saint Nicholas

by NoScrubs12345



Series: tis the season [14]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen, I Don't Even Know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-14 00:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1245292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoScrubs12345/pseuds/NoScrubs12345
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Hub has a rather unexpected guest....</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Visit from Saint Nicholas

**Author's Note:**

> For [awdt](http://awdt.livejournal.com/)'s 2008 Christmas advent challenge. Day fourteen: "visiting Santa."

“ _It should be coming up on your left, Ianto, in about four metres,_ ” Gwen said, her voice tinny as it floated through the comms. “ _Can you see anything?_ ”

Ianto adjusted his grip on his gun as he heard a strange jingling sound and took a breath to steady himself. “Nothing yet, Gwen. So far all I see is countryside and a barn. Surprisingly enough, I’m having déjà vu.” 

Gwen’s tentative giggle sounded down the comm. “ _I’m sorry, pet. I should have gone out there._ ”

“ _Leave it, Gwen,_ ” Jack’s voice was strained. “ _Someone had to stay behind. Ianto, anything? I’m still too far away to get a good look._ ”

“I’m just about to go in,” Ianto said and stopped before he rounded one of the barn’s corners. He mentally counted down from three and rushed around it, gun raised and adrenaline thrumming through his veins. He did a double take at what he saw and swore.

“ _Ianto? What is it?_ ” Jack’s voice was thick with worry. When Ianto didn’t answer, he said, “ _Ianto, if I don’t hear anything in the next five seconds—_ “

“Jack, I think you should get your arse over here now. You’re never going to believe this.”

***

Gwen stood as the cog door rolled back, wincing only slightly at the screech of the sirens. She raised her hand to her mouth as Jack and Ianto entered the Hub and bit her thumb to stave off her laughter at the man standing between them. He was dressed in furs dyed red and white, slightly tarnished as if by the soot and grime of a chimney, and a bushy white beard hid his chin and framed his small mouth. Ianto glared at her as he followed their guest and Jack up to the main level of the Hub.

“Is he really who I think he is?” she asked him.

“You should see the sleigh,” he deadpanned. “And one of the damned reindeer bit me too.”

“You poor thing,” she said sarcastically and patted his shoulder. They turned back to the odd little man when he gasped. 

“Is this NORAD?” he said around, his belly shaking like a bowl full of jelly as he chuckled. “If it is, Captain, I’d very much like to have a word with your superiors. Did you know they almost shot me down during the Eighties?” He made a tsking noise and shook his head. “They got coal in their stockings until the Gulf War was over.”

Jack chuckled and placed a hand on the old man’s elbow. “I believe you’ve got the wrong country, Mr Claus. You’re in Wales and this is Torchwood Cardiff.”

“Ah, yes. Torchwood. There are so many government agencies out there and I do tend to get them confused,” Santa Claus said and smiled as he took in his surroundings. His eyes were sparkling in the dim lights and his cheeks were rosy as he smiled at the team in turn. “And please call me Nick.”

“Fine then, Nick,” Jack said and led him over to the couch, watching Ianto move towards the kitchenette out the corner of his eye. “Do you know why you’re here?”

“I’d be willing to bet it’s down to your blasted Rift. I hit a bit of turbulence over the Channel and next thing I know it’s daylight again and I’m in the middle of a field,” the man said with a sigh. He leaned back against the couch and started to stroke his long white beard and frowned as he regarded Jack. “Captain Jack Harkness, you’ve been flirting with the lists all year, young man. A little less gunfire would suit you, but I can’t complain. You and your team here do good work. I think an iPod Touch and something of the adult variety is on your list this year, yes?”

Jack chuckled nervously, looking back at Gwen as she snorted and starting as Ianto brushed past him to place a mug of coffee and a plate of shortbread in front of Nick. “That’s right, sir.”

“I thought so.” Santa Claus smiled and beamed up at Ianto. “Thank you, Mr Jones.” 

He took the mug and sipped at the warm liquid. He smacked his lips as he pulled it away. “I do believe only your grandmother made a better cup. You learned well.”

“I try my best,” Ianto said, nodding at him. “Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask what list I’m on?”

Nick laughed, his belly shaking again with mirth. “Still as the same as always, I think. I seem to recall seeing your name on the nice list, my dear boy. Unless you’ve been up to mischief again? I really hated putting you on the naughty one after that little shoplifting incident.”

Gwen and Jack laughed as Ianto turned pink and hastily shook his head. 

“Good. Because I’d hate for your gift to be given to someone else,” Nick said and winked at Jack. “I’d tell you, but I’m under strict orders to keep it a surprise.”

“Do I want to know?” Ianto asked, brows raised as he looked at Jack.

“You’ll like it. I promise,” he said, a blush of his own colouring his cheeks.

“Don’t worry, Ianto. It just so happens that Jack’s request coincides quite nicely with what you wished for.” Nick chuckled as Ianto smiled and took Jack’s hand. Santa’s eyes lit up when he turned to Gwen. “And Miss Cooper. I still remember your first doll. Do you still have her?”

It was Gwen’s turn to blush. “She’s still in my room, sitting on her shelf same as ever.”

Nick nodded. “Good. She was a very special doll. Not another one in the world exactly like her. We discontinued that make in 1980. I do hope you’ll like the earrings, though, of course it was you that picked them out.”

Gwen giggled, bouncing up on the balls of her feet, and clapped her hands with glee. “I’m sure I’ll love them. I had a feeling Rhys wasn’t getting the hint.”

Nick sighed. “He’s just been preoccupied, dear. You’ll find out why soon enough.” He cleared his throat and met Jack’s eyes. “Now, Captain, when I came through the Rift it was Christmas Eve, 2008. How far off am I?”

“It’s the fourteenth of December, 2008, Nick,” Jack said, grinning as the elf groaned. “It could have been worse.”

“Yes, it could have,” he said and stroked his beard again. “I was hoping I hadn't ended up somewhere I don’t speak the language.”

Jack chuckled. “Been there, done that.”

“Yes, I know,” Nick said and took a biscuit from his plate. He dunked it in his coffee and took a bite, chewing carefully as he thought. “I guess I’m getting a bit of a holiday, then.”

“It looks that way, sir,” Jack said and smiled tightly at him. “Do you have any protocols for this sort of thing happening?”

Nick shook his head. “None at all. In the almost two thousand years I’ve been delivering gifts, never once have I encountered such a problem before.”

“I could set you up with a room somewhere,” Ianto said thoughtfully, looking between Jack and Nick. “I assume you’ll want to stay in the area?”

“Yes. It’ll be easier to pick up the route that way,” Nick said with a nod. “You can charge everything to Kringle Enterprises if you’d like.”

“Nonsense,” Jack said, smiling at Nick as he wrapped his arms around Ianto and Gwen’s shoulders. “Our Rift, our responsibility. It’s on Torchwood.”

“Careful, Captain,” Nick said, the twinkle back in his eye. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“As long as Mrs Claus doesn’t mind,” Jack quipped with a wink and rubbed Ianto’s upper arm affectionately as the Welshman groaned and Santa Claus’s cheeks turned red.


End file.
